Against All Odds : Novella Review

Against All Odds is another wonderful romance novella, which is penned by JazzSingh and published by Indireads.

Sanjana, a small-town girl from Kasauli, has just passed and is on her first interior designing project in Delhi. She doesn’t have much experience but is determined, hard-working, talented and very creative. On a rainy day, she happens to slip on a wet road in front of a rich man’s car. The guy thinks she’s a con and is trying to fish money out of him and admonishes her. A self-respecting woman that she is, she doesn’t reply anything but hires an auto and goes to hospital on her own even when he insists that he would drop her. She has a hairline fracture is advised to take complete bed-rest. She hates that arrogant rich man.

But a hardworking woman that she is, she is determined to meet her deadline in the present project and works from home while her associate Mohanty takes care of all the on-site work and also checks on her everyday. When she finally is able to walk with the help of a stick, she goes to the site only to overhear a conversation between her employer and another guy who was saying that it was stupid of him to employ someone with virtually no experience for the job. Needless to say, it was the same arrogant guy, Abhimanyu, a real estate agent, who happens to be her employer’s friend.

When her employer learns that it was Abhi who had caused Sanjana the pain, albeit unintentionally, he reprimands him saying that the least he could have done was to take her to a hospital.

She again bumps into Abhi in a meeting with a prospective new client who also happens to be his friend. Although she gives much importance to her self-respect, she’s also frank with her new client and tells her that she has no experience on her very first meeting and looks at Abhi directly. The new client hires her anyway. Abhi tries to be good to her now, but she simply ignores him and doesn’t take his help.

Slowly, they keep bumping into each other at various places and both begin to change their opinions of each-other. Both grow fond of each other and soon Sanjana is in love with Abhi. Although Abhi also shows special interest towards Sanjana, she thinks he’s just sympathizing with her and wants to make up for being rude to her on their very first meet.

Although she loves him, she’s sure that they can never be together. Her lifestyle is different to that of his and so are their circles. She believes she can never fit into his lifestyle and his people would never accept her. He, well-dressed, impeccable, suave, rich and metro-man and she, a small-town girl with middle-class values. Another thing that nags her is that she isn’t sure whether he is really interested in her or if he’s simply playing her.

Once, when Abhi’s mom meets her, her doubts become clearer as she not only accuses her of trying to fish money out of his son, she also calls her names. She doesn’t say anything, just disappears from the scene without leaving a trace.

Where did she disappear? Does Abhi ever learn about this incident? Was he simply playing with her or was he genuinely interested in her? Do they meet again? Read Against All Odds to learn more.

Jazz Singh’s writing is fresh and simple. She makes the situations feel real and believable. She has nicely described the contrasting lifestyles and attitudes of Sanjana and Abhimanyu. Sanjana’s traditions, values, feelings, cheerful-nature, her life in Delhi and her life in Kasauli are also nicely expressed. She’s frank, cheery, realistic and knows her limitations. She doesn’t hold a grudge against Abhi in the beginning or his mom later in the story.

In one scene, Sanjana says that she has lived in Delhi enough to know how it goes there. That she and Abhi are just playing each-other and nothing serious is going on between them. This, when they’ve become physically intimate with each-other. So, a small-town girl from Kasauli who once stops Abhi from going beyond kissing with, “In our place, we don’t do this out of marriage,” doesn’t have qualms about sleeping with him because she wants him and is really attracted towards him even when she knows that they aren’t going to be together.

This has got to be the best description of love, attraction and the need to get closer physically in love. Although, so not like Sanjana and her small-town character, that is what love makes her do.

A very nice, romantic yet realistic read. Makes you fall in love with Sanjana instantly and Abhimanyu later on.